Veterans of an elite British Army unit are training Russians for the war in Ukraine.

British Edition The Daily Telegraph The Telegraph published an exclusive report revealing that veterans of the SAS, the British Army's elite air force unit, are working in training camps near Moscow and in the Balkans, preparing Russian occupying forces for combat operations in Ukraine. The Telegraph obtained a copy of a memorandum drafted for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), according to the Australian publication. The Nightly.

The Telegraph obtained a classified intelligence memo containing this sensational information. The assessment, prepared for the Five Eyes intelligence services, asserts with a "high degree of confidence" that Western military veterans were recruited to train both civilians and Russian military personnel.

The Five Eyes (abbreviated FVEY) is an intelligence alliance of five English-speaking countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These countries cooperate closely on intelligence, exchanging information, jointly conducting signals intelligence, sharing intelligence data, and coordinating work on security issues. Approx. Ed.)

On the subject: Colombian cartels are sending their fighters to Ukraine to learn drone warfare techniques.

The Telegraph obtained a copy of a memo drafted for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. The document is based on interviews with two former Australian special forces personnel and one active reservist. They said they were approached by a former US Navy SEAL operative with an offer to serve as instructors at training camps in Bulgaria and Serbia, where, they claimed, Russian clients were being trained. The former Australian military personnel were interviewed by an intermediary, whose name The Telegraph is withholding for security reasons.

The memo states that Alfa-Metal's combat training camp in Medzhedni, northern Bulgaria, attracts instructors "from a wide range of backgrounds," including the SAS, the Australian Commando Regiment, the US Police, and the US Navy SEALs. Alfa-Metal offers special forces training and advanced sniper programs for approximately €4000 per person. These programs are designed for future employees of private military companies, bodyguards, and corporate security services.

It is highly likely that training camps in Bulgaria and Serbia are extremely lenient towards the Russian personnel undergoing training. If the Australians had accepted the offer, it would have violated Australia's Safeguarding Australia's Military Secrets Act. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, private training camps in Europe continued to accept Russian citizens, including for "advanced close combat" courses. Interviewed special forces personnel stated that current camp staff told them that Russians were still being trained in 2025—three years after the full-scale invasion began.

The Alfa-Metal website featured the SAS logo, and about six months before the publication, the company posted an ad on LinkedIn seeking an experienced SAS instructor—a British citizen with a strong operational background.

Alfa-Metal categorically denied all accusations. Its representatives stated that they had never hired SAS veterans and had no connection with the British special forces. They also stated that they had not trained a single Russian citizen to fight on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine and considered such claims false. The company also denied any ties to the St. Petersburg-based Alfa Region, which advertises the Bulgarian camp, but later acknowledged historical professional connections and stated that they were reviewing old marketing materials.

British SAS sources call such actions a betrayal of the regiment's values ​​and say they are unaware of any such incidents. One emphasized that the SAS is a small community, people talk, and if someone was doing this, they would know.

(The SAS, or Special Air Service, is an elite special forces unit of the British Army. It is considered one of the most renowned and professional special forces in the world. The SAS conducts reconnaissance, counter-terrorism operations, sabotage, hostage rescue, and other complex missions behind enemy lines. The regiment, which has been in existence since 1941, is known for its extremely rigorous selection process and high level of secrecy. – Approx. Ed.)

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According to The Nightly, Australian authorities have been aware for several months of the possible involvement of Australian military personnel in training Russians. The memorandum is currently being reviewed by ASIS, and the results may be shared with partners in the Five Eyes alliance. The Telegraph and The Nightly emphasize that they were unable to independently verify all the allegations in the memorandum.

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